Related Articles

However, Mr Wellington clarified his opposition was his personal opinion and not his view as speaker.

Cattle farmer Frank Ashman, who bought his Brymaroo property four years ago, said New Hope's own environmental impact statement acknowledged the project would take a toll on water supplies.

"If we can't water our stock, there's no argument about it - our livelihood's done," he said.

"And that's pretty unfair when you think we've put $1.8-1.9 million into trying to develop this particular starting operation."

Fellow farmer Aileen Harrison recounted how the constant clouds of dust emanating from the construction of the mine contaminated her water tanks and caused health problems before she accepted an offer to be bought out.

"If stage three is allowed to go ahead, there will be another lot of people who are going to lose out again."

The current mine contributed $300 million to the southeast Queensland economy and supported 280 local and 2300 indirect jobs, New Hope said in a statement.

"Stage three of the New Acland Project will provide a further boost of $12 billion to the local, state and national economies over the life of the mine," it read.

New Hope also pointed out the mine has no fly-in fly-out workers and the new phase would extend the current operation to about 2029, taking the number of full-time jobs to about 435 and creating more construction positions.